After descending Octagon Mountain and rounding a cluster of delicate rockeries, she entered the plum grove.
Today, the prodigal sons of Zhenhuang City's prominent families had gathered at the Zhuge residence, and the plum grove was heavily guarded, maintaining a tranquil atmosphere. Chu Qiao, petite in stature, strolled through the grove, occasionally rising on her toes to pluck a few plum blossoms, utterly at ease.
"Hey! You there!"
A voice, childish yet imperious, rang out abruptly. Chu Qiao looked up to see a young lord of about ten years old, clad in an emerald-green robe with a golden-threaded, meticulously embroidered white sable tail adorning his lapel. The fluffy sable fur framed his jade-smooth face, and his small, upturned nose wrinkled slightly as his pitch-black eyes glared at her. "You! I'm talking to you!" he shouted.
Chu Qiao frowned slightly, thinking it best not to provoke trouble. She bowed politely and said calmly, "This servant has duties to attend to and begs your pardon for not staying." With that, she turned to leave.
The young lord was taken aback, never expecting a mere servant to dismiss him so casually. His nose scrunched up in irritation, and he brandished his horsewhip, yelling, "You insolent slave! How dare you!"
Hearing the sound, Chu Qiao swiftly turned and caught the tip of the whip with her delicate, pale hands, her gaze sharp and cold as she stared back.
The young lord hadn't anticipated such boldness from a Zhuge family maid. He tugged hard but failed to retrieve the whip. Pouting angrily, he threatened, "Do you have a death wish? I'll have you beheaded!"
Chu Qiao smirked coldly, deftly twisting the whip so that the handle slipped from the boy's grasp and into hers. Though not yet eight years old and small in stature, her face was tender and pink, yet her eyes held no childish innocence. She stepped forward calmly, her voice even as she said, "A horsewhip is for driving horses, not for striking people."
She then handed the whip back to him, handle first, and turned to leave.
Seeing that the girl, though smaller than him, carried herself with authority and moved with agility, the young lord felt a flicker of admiration. Anxious at her departure but too proud to plead, he ran ahead and blocked her path, shouting, "Which courtyard of the Zhuge family do you serve? What's your name? Do you even know who I am? Believe me, I can have you dragged out and executed!"
Chu Qiao lifted her head, giving him a dismissive glance before pushing his arm aside and raising an eyebrow scornfully. "What kind of skill is it to threaten others when you can't win a fight? I have no interest in learning the identity of someone like you."
The plum trees swayed gently as the young lord in his brocade robe stood in the grove, watching Chu Qiao's small figure gradually disappear into the distance, momentarily stunned.
Returning to Green Mountain Courtyard, Chu Qiao greeted the servants moving about and went straight into the main hall. Zhuge Yue reclined lazily on a soft couch, not lifting his head as she entered, only casting a faint glance from the corner of his eye.Chu Qiao walked over to a celadon vase, removed yesterday's flowers, and carefully inserted the freshly picked plum branches one by one. After finishing, she approached Zhuge Yue, knelt before the small incense burner, and mixed the melted snow collected from the plum blossoms with Lan Xiang. She then gently poured the mixture into the burner, softly fanning it with a small fan. The room was instantly filled with a refreshing fragrance. Zhuge Yue took a deep breath and gradually closed his eyes.
Nearly an hour passed, and Zhuge Yue seemed to have fallen asleep when a sudden commotion outside stirred him. The young man opened his eyes impatiently, a faint frown creasing his brow.
"Fourth Young Master, Steward Zhu from the outer residence just sent word that they've captured Lady Jin Si at the foot of Bajiao Mountain. She was carrying a pot of tengjiao and a large number of venomous snakes. They've caught her red-handed and are now interrogating her in the steward's court."
Zhuge Yue narrowed his eyes slightly and said leisurely, "Though Jin Si is domineering, she's actually quite timid. Would she dare carry venomous snakes with her? What did you hear her say?"
"She said..." The servant's voice dropped, and he glanced sideways at Chu Qiao, who sat quietly in the corner, before whispering, "She claimed she followed Xing'er there and said Xing'er framed her and Jin Zhu to avenge the Jing family children who died recently."
"Xing'er," Zhuge Yue said, "explain yourself."
Chu Qiao knelt on the floor, her voice calm as she replied, "Fourth Young Master, Xing'er did not do it."
"Then where were you just now?"
"Xing'er went to the plum garden."
"Did anyone see you there?"
The child tilted her head, thought for a moment, and said, "Xing'er met a young master in the garden—not from our residence. He was about ten years old, wearing an emerald green robe with a snow-white sable tail on his lapel. Xing'er doesn't know his name."
"Hmm," Zhuge Yue nodded and said to the messenger, "You may go."
The servant hesitated slightly, cautiously asking, "What about Lady Jin Si?"
Zhuge Yue leaned back, closing his eyes as he rested on the couch, and slowly said, "Those who make mistakes must be punished. Let the steward's court handle it."
The man acknowledged and withdrew. The room fell silent, with only the faint scent of incense drifting like a wisp of cloud.
"Xing'er, do you harbor hatred in your heart for the residence killing your relatives?"
Chu Qiao lowered her head and replied obediently, "Young Master, Xing'er has been a slave in this residence since she can remember. It's only because of you, Young Master, that Xing'er can sleep on a warm bed, eat hot meals, and wear warm clothes. Xing'er is still young and can't hold so much in her heart. She only wishes to serve you well and live properly."
"Hmm," Zhuge Yue nodded, "It's best that you think this way. Though you're young, you handle tasks steadily. From now on, you shall manage the affairs within the Pavilion."
"Yes, thank you, Young Master." The child bowed her head respectfully. After a long pause, she suddenly spoke, "Young Master, do you believe that Sister Jin Si framed Sister Jin Zhu?"Zhuge Yue snorted lightly, "How bold could Jin Ci possibly be? Even if she were, she wouldn't think of such a scheme. Zhu Shun is an old-timer in the estate. He made a mistake, got beaten for it, and couldn't save face—it's understandable that he'd want to find a way out. But he shouldn't have thrown dirt on my Green Mountain Courtyard, creating the illusion of infighting among the servants to clear himself. All these years, he's lived in vain, learning nothing."
"Then why didn't you help Sister Jin Ci, young master? The steward's court will beat her to death."
"If she had truly done it, I would have saved her. But she fell into someone else's trap so easily, showing how foolish she is. What use is there in keeping such a person in my Green Mountain Courtyard?"
The midday sun was glaring, lazily piercing through the gaps in the window frames. The plum blossoms carried a fresh scent. Chu Qiao sat on a small stool, her eyes slightly narrowed.
The timing was gradually ripening—she no longer wanted to waste any more time.
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